Sylvania



2 sheets sheet 1.

J. T. 85 C. M. ROBINSON.

(No Model.)

GAR TRUCK.

Patented Jan. 16, 1894-.

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Y 4 H \r ATTORNEYG m! NATIONAL LITNOGRAPNING cuMPANY,

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. T. 8: O. M. ROBINS-0N.

I GAP. TRUCK. N Na 512,749 I Patented Jan. 16, 1894,

"III/IIAWIIIIA WITNESSES: I WVENTORS,

E-\\ I a m z wmaxflw I 0 1" g I ATTOREEYS.

rrsn STATE PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. ROBINSON AND CHARLES M. ROBINSON, OF AL'IOONA, PENN- SYLVANIA.

CAR-TRUCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,749, dated January16, 1894. Application filed October 2 2, 1892. Serial No. 449,912- (Nomodel.)

To Ml whom it may concern:

g has for its object theproduction of a highly efficient, simple andpractical construction of truck for preventing end or oscillatorymovement of the car upon the truck, and for permitting ready adjustmentof the springs for yieldingly supporting the car; and to this end itconsists, essentially, in frame bars at the opposite longitudinal sidesof the truck,

- top frame bars above the former bars, springs between the oppositeends of the lower and upper frame bars, an adjustable spring supportmounted on one of said frame bars for supporting one end of one of thesprings, a second spring also mounted on saidsupport and formed oflesslength than the other spring thereon, and a tie bar between thelower and upper frame bars provided with an adjustable shoulder.

The invention furthermore consists in the detail construction andarrangement of the parts, all as hereinafter more particularly describedand pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention, reference is bad to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, in which like lettersindicate corresponding partsin all the views.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the detached car truck having one of itstop side bars partially broken away for the purpose of showing theunderlying parts. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the parts shown atFig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view, partly in section, of the parts as shownat Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken on line 44,Fig. 2, clearly representing the supporting springs for the upper frame,bar findthe adjustable support for the lower endsof said springs. Fig. 5is a similar sectional view, taken in a plane at right angles to theplane of Fig. 4, representing a slightly modified form of our invention,in which but one spring is mounted upon the adjustable support. Fig. 6is a similar sectional view, taken in .the same plane as Fig. 5, of afurther modified form of our invention; and Fig. 7 is a detail eleva- 1tion, partly in section, of a still further modified form of ourinvention.

As stated in our previous application, it is well known that when cars,and particularly electric surface street cars are passing quickly overuneven surfaces, especially when unevenly loaded, they are extremelyliable to rock or oscillate endwise, thereby greatly straining the partsand particularly the springs of the truck, and inconveniencing andannoying the passengers.

Our own practical experience has convinced us that car bodies, eventhough made seemingly identical, and mounted on trucks of apparentsimilarity and provided with springs of apparently uniform elasticityand length, do not ride exactly the same but that one is more inclinedto oscillate than the other, and is more or less yielding in practicaluse.

Our present invention is designed to entirely obviate the undesirableendwise oscillation or rocking of the car body and to permit ofadjustment of the springs in order that the cars may yield uniformly andthat the springs at both ends of each car may also yield uniformly; andour invention is so simple. in construction and arrangement that thecost of the truck :is not materially increased even though itsefficiency is greatly augmented.

The main side bars A- of our truck are arranged along its longitudinalsides and are each composed, preferably, of apair of divisions aaarranged edgewise and formed of steel or other suitable material. Thedivisions ao. are secured together at intervals by suitable clamps orbolts -a' which also serve to secure to said bars the spring supportspresently described.

BB are the wheels,b-b the axles for said wheels, and B B the journalboxes for the opposite ends or journals of the axles.

The bars A A are provided with slots at a for receiving the journalboxes B'B' and beneath said journal boxes are .cross bars a a havingtheir opposite ends secured by clamps a. to the bars A A.

The described construction of frame bars is particularly simple,practical and effective, is economically manufactured, and is highlyefficient in use.

Arranged above the frame bars A-A- are the upper frame bars -C-C adaptedto support the car, not necessary to herein illustrate or describe.These frame bars preferably consist of an upper wooden strip cand alower metallic strip --c-.

It will be readily understood by one skilled in the art that the upperframe bars O for supporting the car body may be omitted, and that theparts secured to said frame bars, as

. presently described, may be attached directly to the under face of thecar body bottom, and

that the car body bottom then becomes essentially the upper bar of thetruck. It is also evident that the central portions of the bars C-O maybe removed if desired.

D represents plunger plates having their upper ends secured to the bars--G O- by suitable clamps -d-dand their lower ends bifurcated and passedbetween thedivisions -ctaof the bars --A-A-- and provided with oppositebearings -dd'- adapted to bear against the opposite faces of the journalboxes -B"-B'. Projecting from the sides of the plunger plates -D--areribs -d -adapted to bear against the inner faces of the divisions -a-aof the bars -A-A-. As stated in our aforeside bearings "d -(V9 tendsgreatly to obviate lateral movement and endwise, oscillatory or rockingmovement of the car body -E-- represents the springs interposed betweenthe central portions of the lower and upper frame bars -AA-- and -C-C-.

Aspreferably constructed, oneof these springs is mounted on oppositesides of each plunger plate D-- and its opposite ends are en gaged withbearings or pockets ee'- secured, respectively, to the bars -A'-A,-O--C. The pockets-e-- are each formed with a depending lug e interposedbetween the sections --a-a=-= of the supporting frame bar --A-- and withoutwardly extending shoulders -e bearing upon the upper edges of. saiddivisions, and are secured in position by clamps -a'-, previouslydescribed. These lugs -e serve to separate the divisions -a-aand permitthe spring supports or pockets provided therewith to be economically andfirmly secured in position.

The supports or pockets -e'- may be of any desirable form, size andconstruction and are secured in position by suitable fasteningmeans,.not necessary to herein illustrateor describe.

Within the springs -Eare suitable guide bars -E--E-- of any desirableform, size and construction.

FF are springs interposed between the opposite ends of the upper andlower frame bars --AA-,O-O, and f-- are supports for the lower and upperends of said springs. The lower support fpreferably consists of a lowersection f and an upper section adjustable lengthwise on the formersection. This section f is provided with a depending ear interposedbetween the divisions --aaand secured in position by clamps-a'a--,previously-described, and is also provided with laterallyextending shoulders --f ---f resting upon the top edges of the divisions--a0t-. The upper end of the section -f is screwthreaded and enters ascrew-threaded socket -f in the under face of the section -f and theupper end of the section is formed with a bearing face provided with agroove -f for supporting the lower end of the spring F-. The uppersupport -f'- is secured in position by suitable fastening means and isformed on. its under face with a socket for receiving the upper endofthe spring -F--.

We preferably use within each of the springs -F--, an inner spring --Ghaving its lower end supported in a socket in the upper face of thelower support section -f and its upper end provided with an internalsleeve g having an annular flange -g'- bearing against the upper end ofthe spring. The inner springs -G are ofless length than the outersprings -F, and consequently, in order to prevent rattling of the partswhenflthe outer springs -F permit the upper supports to descendsufliciently to tension the springs -G.-, we place upon the sleeve g arubber cap --G-.

-H- represents tie bars between. the opposite ends of the lower andupper frame bars -AA- OO- for limiting the separation of saidextremities and guiding the springs --F--G- in their movement. ,Each ofthese bars I-I- preferably consists of a bolt passed longitudinallythrough an inner spring -G-- and having its upper end provided with ashoulder --hbearing upon the top face of the metallic strip -c'- of oneof theupper frame bars -O- and its lower end passed through thecorresponding springsupport fand provided with an adjustable shoulder--h-- adapted to bear against the under face of the frame bar -A--carrying said support. As the car bodydescends, the springs --F- are, inaddition to the springs -E-, compressed and the bar H-- is forcedlongitudinally through the support --fand as the car assumes its normalposition, the shoulders -h'-- upon the bars-*H limit the upward movementof the car.

If the springs -F-F- are too stiff to permit the necessary easy downwardmovement of the car, the movable section -f of the support f-+ may bescrewed downwardly,

thus lengthening said springs F F and if the springs yield too easily,the said section may be screwed upwardly in order to decrease the lengthof the springs. Consequently, as the action of the end springs may beregulated at will, and as the power of these springs is liable to vary,it is a simple matter to adjust these springs so that bothyielduniformly, and thereby tend to prevent rocking or oscillatorymovement of the car body.

The internal springs -G- are brought into action only when the car bodydescends and compresses the springs F- and they also tend to preventoscillatory or rocking movement of the car as at the very instant whenone end is descending a sufficient amount to cause such an undesirablemovement of the car, an additional spring force is present to resistsuch a motion. Consequently, this peculiar construction of end springsand adj ustable supports therefor auxiliarates greatly the action of theplunger plates in preventing rocking or oscillatory movement of the carand enables the tension or force of the end springs to be adjusted atwill. Moreover, the construction of these springs and their adjustablesupports is particularly durable, efficient and economical inmanufacture.

At Fig. 5 we have shown a'modified form of our invention in which nointernal spring G- is shown within the spring --F- and as with thisexception the parts of this modification correspond exactly inconstruction and operation with the preferable form of our invention, wehave similarly lettered said parts.

At Fig. 6 we have shown a construction of our invention similar to thatshown at Fig. 5 with the exception that the spring --F- is mounted upona support -I consisting of a lower section 1,' formed withscrew-threaded guide openings t"2" and with an upper socket -1?, and anupper movable section 1? mounted in the socket t and adapted to beelevated by adjusting screws -1 --'i movable in the guide openings j'-against the under face of the upper section t' At Fig. 7 we have shown astill further modified form of our invention in which an ni ti l spring-J- is interposed between the frame bars -A=-O-. The upper division -jofthe spring -J is secured to the bar O by a clip -j'- and the lower d1-vision -j of said spring is provided with an angular sleeve j movable ina guide -;9 of a support 7 Asuitable adjusting screw j is movable insaid guldeand bears against the under face of the sleeve j forcompressing the spring +J.

K- represents brake shoes arranged at the outside of the wheels B- andadapted to bear against their adjacent peripheries. These shoes arepreferably pivoted at their upper extremities at --k to supports uponbrake carrying bars KK- which are guided at their opposite extremitiesupon shoulders K upon the inner faces of the frame bars AA and aresupported upon the inner ends of spring bars L having their inner endssecured at l to cross bars A5-A between the ends of the side frame barsA-A--.

M- represents outwardly extending arms secured at mto the brake carryingbars -K-K' and N brake actuating levers hinged at n to the outer ends ofthe arms M- and adapted to be connected at their opposite ends to anysuitable construction of actuating means not necessary to herein show ordescribe.

0 is a connecting frame between the brake shoe carrying bars KK' wherebyboth are actuated simultaneously. This frame preferably consists oflongitudinal bars o to the longitudinal bars -00. The outer ends of thebars o-0- are formed with shoulders or pins o bearing against theopposite extremities of the outer faces of the brakesh'oecarryingbarsKK. The central portions of the cross bars -0'0' of the connecting frameO are formed with outwardly extending arms O'O' hinged thereto at -O andhinged at O to the brake actuating levers -NN-. As the outer ends ofeither of the bars N-N- are rocked outwardly their opposite ends areforced inwardly and work the brake shoes upon the adjacent brakecarrying bar-K- against the wheels K-- and through the medium oftheframe O-, also rock the brake shoes upon the opposite bar --K againstthe opposite pair of wheels B-. This brake mechanism is but brieflydescribed, as the same forms no part of our present invention.

The operation of our invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description and upon reference to the drawings and it will beparticularly noted that the same is simple and practical inconstruction, economical in manufacture and durable and efficient in useand that the lateral movement and the oscillating or rocking movement ofthe car body mounted upon a truck provided with our invention, isprevented, and the yielding motion of the car upon its springs adjustedat will so that both ends of a single car and the bodies of a number ofcars yield uniformly and greatly add to the convenience and ease of thepassengers. It will be understood, however, that considerable change maybe made in the relative arrangement and construction of the parts of ourtruck without departing from the spirit of our invention. Hence we donot herein specifically limit ourselves to such detail construction andarrangement.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

above the former bar, springs interposed between the oppositeextremities of the lower and upper side bars, and an adjustable supporton one of said bars for supporting one of said springs, said supportconsisting of a stationary section rigidly secured to said bar, and amovable section secured to and movable lengthwise of the former sectionsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar of the truck supported on the axles, a side bar arranged above theformer bar, springs interposed between the opposite extremities of thelower and upper side bars, an adjustable support on one of said bars forsupporting one of said springs, and a second spring mounted on saidsupport and formed of less length than the former spring, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

3. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar having its ends projecting beyond the wheels, a second frame barabove the former, springs interposed between the opposite ends of saidside bars, and adjustable supports for said springs mounted on theopposite ends of one of said bars, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

4. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar of the truck, a side bar arranged above the former bar, upright barsconnecting the opposite ends of the upper and lower bars, springsencircling said upright bars,and an adjustable support upon one of saidbars for supporting one of said springs, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

5. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar of the truck,

a side bar arranged above the former bar, upright bars connecting saidopposite ends of the upper and lower bars, springs encircling saidupright bars, an adjustable support upon one of said bars for supportingone of said springs, and a second spring encircling said upright bar andmounted upon said adj ustable support and formed of less length than theformer spring, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar having its ends projecting beyond the wheels, a second frame barabove the former, springs between the opposite ends of said bars,adjustable supports for said springs mounted on the opposite ends of oneof said bars, and springs of less diameter than the former springsmounted on said supports, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

7 In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar of the truck,

I a second frame bar above the former, a spring support section havingone end rigidly secured to the frame bar and the other screwthreaded, asecond spring support section having one end formed with a socket forreceiving the screw-threaded portion of the former section and the otherformed with an upper bearing face, and a spring interposed between theupper bar and the bearing face of the second spring support section,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar of the truck, a second spring bar above the former, a frame supportsection having one end rigidly se-' cured to the former bar, and theother screwthreaded, a second spring support section having one endformed with a socket for receiving the screw-threaded portion of theformer section, and the other formed with an upper bearing face, aspring interposed between the upper bar and the bearing face of thesecond spring support section, and a second spring of less length thanthe former mounted on the bearing face of the latter section of thespring support, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

9. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of theframe bar of the truck, a second frame bar above the former,

a spring support section having one end rigidly secured to the frame barand the other screw-threaded, a second spring support section having oneend formed with a socket for receiving the screw-threaded portion of theformer section and the other formed with an upper bearing face, a springinterposed between the upper bar and the bearing face of the secondspring support section,and an upright bar having one end secured to theupper side of said bar and the other passed through said spring supportand the spring thereon, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In acar truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of a framebar of the truck, a second frame bar above the former, a spring supportsection having one end rigidly secured to the frame bar and the otherscrewthreaded, a second spring supporting section having one end formedwith a socket for receiving the screw-threaded portion of the formersection and the other formed with an upper bearing face, a springinterposed between the upper bar and the bearing face of the secondspring support section, and an upright bar having one end provided witha shoulder bearing against an upper face of the upper side bar and theother passed through said spring support and the spring mounted there onand provided with an adjustable shoulder bearing against the under faceof the spring support, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of aframe bar of the truck, a second frame bar above the former, a springsupport section having one end rigidly secured to the frame bar and theother screw- [05 i no threaded, a second spring supporting sectionhaving one end formed with a socket for receiving-the screw-threadedportion of the former section and the other formed with an upper bearingface, a spring interposed between the upper bar and the bearing face ofthe second spring support section; an uprightbar having one end providedwith a shoulder bearing against an upper face of the upper side bar andthe other passed through said spring support and the spring mountedthereon and provided with an adjustable shoulder bearing against theunder face of the spring support, and a second spring of less lengththan the former encircling said upright bar and mounted on the secondspring support section, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; ofafraine bar of the truck formed of separated divisions, a second barabove the former bar, a spring support section having a depending earinterposed between the divisions of the former side bar, a clamp forsecuring said ear to said divisions, a second spring support sectionadjustable lengthwise upon the upper extremity of the former section,and a spring interposed between the latter side bar and the adjacentface of the second spring support section,

substantially as and for the purpose specified.

13. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels and axles; of aframe bar of the truck formed of separated divisions, a second bar abovethe former bar, a spring support sec tion having a depending earinterposed between the divisions of the former side bar, a clamp forsecuringsaid ear to said divisions, a second spring support sectionadjustable lengthwise upon the upper extremity of the former section, aspring interposed between the latter spring bar and the adjacent face ofthe second spring support section, and a tie bar between said side barsformed with an adjustable st'op shoulder, substantially as and for thepurpose setforth.

14. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels, axles and journalboxes; of a frame side bar supported on the journal boxes, a

sidebar above the former bar, a plunger plate having one end secured tothe latter bar and the other end bifurcated and provided with oppositeupright bearing faces movable along the opposite walls of theadjaoentjournal boxes, a spring interposed between said bars at onesideof the plunger plate, and an adjustable support upon said frame-barfor supporting said spring,-substantially as and for the purposespecified.

15. In a car truck, the combination with the wheels, axles and journalboxes; of a frame side bar supported on the axles and consisting ofseparated divisions, a frame side bar above the former side bar, aplunger plate depending from the latter side bar and having itsextremity movable-between the divisions of. the former side bar, aspring interposed between said bars at one side of the plunger plate,and an adjustable support uponone of said frame bars for supporting saidspring, substantially as and for the purpose specified.-

In testimony whereof we have hereunto signed our names, in the presenceof two attesting Witnesses, at Altoona, in the county of Blair,in theState of Pennsylvania, this 12th day of October, 1892. 1

Y JAMES T. ROBINSON.

CHARLES M. ROBINSON. Witnesses:

JOHN H. CARR, M. L. MGCARTNEY.

